Rotary brush with fluid channels



Nov. 5, 1963 B. E. NELSON 3,109,190

ROTARY BRUSH WITH FLUID CHANNELS Filed July 15, 1960 FIG. I

1 INVENTOR. BROOKS E. NELSON M WQAQ 519M ATTORNEYS 3,109,190 ROTARY BRUSH WITH FLUID CHANNELS Brooks E. Nelson, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, assignor to The Osborn Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed July 13, 1960, Ser. No. 42,720 7 Claims. (Cl. 15-181) This invention relates as indicated to a rotary brush with fluid channels, and more particularly to a power driven rotary brush adapted to have fluid introduced internally thereof and then distributed generally radially outwardly through the brush material.

Various types of power driven rotarybrushes are known in the art with provision for the introduction of fluid, either a liquid such as water or a 'gas: such as air, internally thereof for the purpose of cooling the brush in operation or to act upon the Work being treated. Ordinarily, a cylindrical hub is utilized upon which annular brush sections are mounted or lengths of brush strip are helically wound, the fluid passing through spaced apertures in the cylindrical shell and thence radially outwardly between the annular brush sections or turns of brush strip. While such brushes have served their purpose to some extent, they have not proved entirely satisfactory, particularly under conditions of hard use where the wire brush bristle material, for example, may tend to become overheated irrasmuch as the cooling fluid has been caused to flow through relatively local regions of the brush material corresponding to such apertures in the cylindrical hub or shell and other portions of the bristle material have been inadequately cooled.

It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to provide a rotary brush with means for passing fluid therethrough, particularly cooling air, in which such fluid will be uniformly distributed throughout the brush so that all portions of the brush material will be adequately and substantially uniformly acted upon thereby.

Another object is to provide such brush which may easily be assembled and disassembled so that the brush elements mounted upon the shell or hub may be replaced as they become worn.

Still another object is to provide a rotary brush with fluid channels in which the brush elements are mounted and assembled in a manner to interlock adjacent turns and avoid streaking of the work.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention then comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a power driven rotary brush embodying the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of an individual annular brush section, a plurality of which may be mounted upon a cylindrical shell as shown in FIG. 1 to form the brush of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 on FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 44 on FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the end portion of the hub and brush element assembly illustrating the manner in which the brush elements are mounted upon the cylindrical hub and the fluid such as air is caused to flow therethrough.

Referring now more particularly to said drawing and especially FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, a plurality of annular brush sections such as the one shown in FIG. 2 are mounted upon a cylindrical metal shell or hub '1, having annular end plates 2 with central openings as at 3 for mounting upon an appropriate drive-shaft or arbor. A plurality of additional openings such as 4 are provided through such end plates radially outwardly of the central arbor hole 3 so that 'a fluid such as coolant air may enter shell -1 therethrough and pass outwardly through numerous apertures such as 5, 6, 7 and 18 uniformly provided throughout such shell in the region supporting such brush sections.

The brush sections may be positioned and secured on shell 1 by means of end clamping rings 9 and 10' which may themselves be secured to the shell in conventional manner as by means of set screws or the like. As shown in FIGS. 1-4 inclusive, the preferred form of annular brush element employed may be of the general type disclosed in Whittle Patent 2,288,337 having an annular sheet metal channel back 1d, the sides Of which extend truly radially outwardly so that the brush bristle material 12 secured therein beneath folded sheet metal retaining ring 13 will likewise extend truly radially outwardly despite axial deformation of the channel back in the manner explained below.

The sides of the sheet metal channel back -11 are indented radially as at '14 (FIG. 2) to provide a large number of circumferentially arranged radial channels for outward fluid flow when a plurality of the brush sections are assembled in close axial engagement as shown in FIG. 1. Furthermore, a number of evenly spaced radially inwardly projecting protuberances 15 are formed on the inner periphery of the brush section channel back preferably in a manner to avoid breaking or cutting the sheet metal back. By thus pressing or forming such protuberances or bulges 1-5, the strength of the back is left sub stantially unaffected and the resistance of the brush section against bursting under the influence of centrifugal force when rotated at high speed is maintained. These bulges or protuberances (four in number, in the case of the FIG; 2 embodiment) are utilized to seat the brush section upon the cylindrical hub or shell 1 as best shown in FIG. 5, thereby serving to maintain the inner periphery of the brush section channel back slightly spaced from the outer surface of such shell. Ordinarily, at least three such bulges will be required to maintain concentr-icity, and a considerably larger number may, of course, be employed. By thus spacing the inner peripheries of the annular brush sections from the outer surface of the hub or shell 1, a substantially continuous annular space is provided to which fluid is conducted through the apertures such as 5 and 6 (FIG. 5) before such fluid then passes radially outwardly between the axially associated sections. 'In other words, such space serves in effect as a manifold and assures that the fluid will be delivered and distributed in a uniform manner toall portions of the brush material. Local hot spots in the brush material or at the brush face are avoided, the life of the brush is much enhanced, and the eflect of the brush upon the work is rendered more uniform.

As shown best in FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawing, the brush sections may desirably be axially deformed to provide a wavy brush face and thus avoid possible streaking of the work in use, adjacent brush sections nesting one within another as shown in FIG. 1. The sides of the sheet metal brush section backs 11 should nevertheless be maintained truly radial despite such axial deformation of the sections so that the brush material likewise will extend substantially truly radially and will not be appreciably deflected or tilted axially of the brush in accordance with the waves. The preferred manner of thus deforming the annular brush sections is described in greater detail in my copending application Serial No. 741,182, Non-Streaking Brush," filed June 10, 1958, to which reference may be had.

Various known means may be employed slightly to space the annular brush sections apart to facilitate fluid flow therebetween, but the aforesaid indentations are ordinarily preferred inasmuch as it is usually desired to provide as dense a brush face as possible. Helically coiled brush strip such as that disclosed in Peterson Patent 2,303,386 may similarly be formed and mounted on the cylindrical shell or hub. The end members 9 and 10 may optionally substantially seal off the ends of the annular manifold cavity provided between the outer surface of the cylindrical shell and the inner peripheral surfaces of the annular brush elements. The protuberances may desirably be somewhat circumferentially elongated in order to provide a greater bearing surface where seated upon the surface of the cylindrical shell. [While the brush material utilized will frequently be crimped wire such as crimped steel wire, it is nevertheless contemplated that any type of brushing material may be employed including tampico fiber, plastic coated wire, cord and the like. The wire brush bristle material may likewise be in the form of twisted tufts if desired. Very frequently, the fluid which will be introduced internally of the shell and distributed radially outwardly through the brush material may simply be air drawn into the brush through the action of centrifugal force as the brush is operated at high speed. Various other fluids may be utilized as desired, however, including water, lubricants, coolants and cleaning fluids. If desired, such fluids may be introduced into the hollow shell through a tubular arbor or mandrel in communication therewith.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of such be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A power driven rotary brush comprising a cylindrical shell having a plurality of apertures therethrough, hub end plates secured thereto having central arbor holes therethrough and at least one said end plate having an additional opening therethrough intermediate such arbor hole and said shell for admission of fluid such as air to the interior of said shell, a plurality of annular brush sections mounted on said shell having annular channel backs opening radially outwardly with brush material secured in said channel backs and extending radially outwardly therefrom, said backs being deformed to provide small spaces therebetween for outward flow of fluid past said backs and through said brush material, and end members securing said brush sections in axially compacted assembly on said shell; said annular channel backs having radially inwardly projecting widely circumferentially spaced protuberances effective to seat against the outer surface of said shell and space the inner peripheral surfaces of said backs therefrom to provide a single cond tinuous substantially unobstructed annular cavity between said backs and the outer surface of said shell to which such fluid may be delivered through such apertures in said shell for uniform distribution between said backs to said brush material.

2. The brush of claim 1, wherein said end members closely oppose the respective ends of such annular cavity. 3. The brush of claim 1, wherein said brush sections are axially deformed to afford individually wavy brushing faces.

4. The brush of claim 1, wherein said protuberauces are elongated circumferentially firmly to seat and support said brush sections on said shell.

5. The brush of claim 1, wherein the sides of said channel backs are locally radially indented to facilitate fluid flow therebetween.

6. A rotary brush comprising a cylindrical shell having a plurality of apertures therethrough and adapted to have fluid introduced internally thereof, a brush element mounted on said shell having a circumferential channel back opening radially outwardly with brush material secured therein and extending radially outwardly therefrom, said back affording means for passage of fluid therepast, and said back having substantially circumferentially spaced radially inwardly projecting protuberances effective to seat against the outer surface of said shell and space the inner peripheral surface of said back therefrom to provide a single continuous substantially unobstructed. annular manifold cavity between said back and the outer surface of said shell to which such fluid may be delivered through such apertures in said shell for uniform distribution to said brush material.

17. A rotary brush comprising a central cylindrical hub portion and an annular brush element seated thereon, including means spacing said brush element from said cylindrical hub portion to afford a substantially unobstructed circumferentially continuous cavity between said brush element and said hub, wherein said hub includes a fluid inlet to its interior and a fluid outlet through its outer cylindrical surface communicating with such cavity, and said brush element is formed and mounted for passage of such fluid radially outwardly therepast in contact with the brush material thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,573,961 Zucker Feb. 23, 1926 2,136,747 Levoy Nov. 15, 1938 2,281,412 Cave et al. Apr. 28, 1942 2,288,337 Whittle June 30, 1942 2,349,644 Wesemeyer' May 23, 1944 2,616,228 Schlegel Nov. 4, 1952 2,921,328 Bongiovanni Jan. 19, 1960 2,963,730 Nelson Dec. 13,1960 2,994,898 Bongiovanui Aug. 8, 1961' FOREIGN PATENTS 7, 526,851 Germany June 11, 1931 

7. A ROTARY BRUSH COMPRISING A CENTRAL CYLINDRICAL HUB PORTION AND AN ANNULAR BRUSH ELEMENT SEATED THEREON, INCLUDING MEANS SPACING SAID BRUSH ELEMENT FROM SAID CYLINDRICAL HUB PORTION TO AFFORD A SUBSTANTIALLY UNOBSTRUCTED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY CONTINUOUS CAVITY BETWEEN SAID BRUSH ELEMENT AND SAID HUB, WHEREIN SAID HUB INCLUDES A FLUID INLET TO ITS INTERIOR AND A FLUID OUTLET THROUGH ITS OUTER CYLINDRICAL SURFACE COMMUNICATING WITH SUCH CAVITY, AND SAID BRUSH ELEMENT IS FORMED AND MOUNTED FOR PASSAGE OF SUCH FLUID RADIALLY OUTWARDLY THEREPAST IN CONTACT WITH THE BRUSH MATERIAL THEREOF. 